Halloween: A Grown-Up's Guide to Creative Costumes, Devilish Decor & Fabulous Festivities

by Joanne O'Sullivan

Finally, here's a Halloween book that's definitely for adults. It's brimming with practical and inventive ideas for parties, decorations, and costumes, and with an amazingly atmospheric design that's a luscious treat for grown-up eyes. Take the dread out of a costume party with creative and playful ways to dress for success on All Hallow's Eve; there are even actual costume elements to use, from wings and tails to masks and hats. You'll find ways to repurpose items right out of your own closet or benefit from a quick trip to the thrift shop. Unique make-up tips for a ghoulishly great appearance will complete the effect. An elegant "Pumpkin Primer" supplies projects to enhance the holiday spirit, including menacing hex dolls and simple, spooky candlescapes. Finally, a selection of theme party ideas, from Day o' the Dead to a Masked Ball, will make for a Happy Halloween. After why should kids have all the fun?

Genres: Halloween, Crafts, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2003

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the costumes looked really odd, however, I love the faerie wings they have in here as well as some of the other craft/costume/food/activities ideas that they have in here. I can't wait to try them!

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most reviewers focus on the costumes. Yeah, half the book is costume how-to ideas, and yeah, not all of them look amazing (though some are pretty impressive, actually). The middle of the book has ideas for Halloween Decor, and some of these are quite fun, like how to make a corn dolly, with informational sidebars about the various traditions and how they came to be. What I like best about this book are the party themes near the end...A New Orleans Voodoo Cocktail Party, a Mexican Day of the Dead Dinner Party, and a French style Masked Ball Dessert Party.

[Tammy Conatser · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fascinating to see the creative ways to make Halloween costumes, parts of costumes and even decorations. however most seem so hard to do it's not even worth the attempt for me personally but someone could enjoy this a lot more.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these costumes are expensive to make and super complicated. Why not just go to goodwill and figure something out instead of wasting 8 rolls of white duct tape creating something that will be truly uncomfortable and hard to store, if you want to keep it at all. A lot of them use materials that I would not have thought to use (aluminum flashing, upholstery foam etc.). I didn't like that some of the costumes in pictures were not being worn by people, were just hanging up or on a dress dummy. I already have my costume figured out, so I'm not going to attempt any of these, but if I were going to I would want to see what it looked like on a person before I go to all the trouble. Offered some very unique costume ideas and just a few other crafts.

My favorite parts of the book were the little informational snippets about the history of halloween, different types of fairies and creatures, the history of voodoo and dia de los muertos among others. A lot of the projects in the book were just not for me.

[Trish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Materials needed cost you more than what it would be to go to a halloween store and spend 50-100 bucks on a costume... These costumes were complicated and time consuming. Yeah I like saving money as much as the next person and I am a VERY crafty, but I have a life and my time is very valuable. Plus the costumes made looked like shit. You'd be laughed out of town wearing that crap!